The Gift of Choice
by Lina Inverse the Dramata
Summary: Haru, 21 years old, has moved on with her life. But the ExCat King has one last gift he wishes to give her to end the debt the Cat Kingdom owes her. Will she choose what her heart desires, or return the gift from whence it came?
1. Good Intentions

The Gift of Choice:

Prologue

Good Intentions

"You're majesty, are you quite certain that you should be doing this? I am sure you mean well, but don't you think his highness-"

"I know what I'm doing!" the cat king took a breath to calm himself, "If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have been able to change so much. I know the gifts we gave her the first time weren't the best for her, but now I know the gift that will finally end the debt between our kingdom and her!" He grinned and gave a chuckle. "Catnip and Mice didn't do it, and a bunch of sticks could never repay her for saving my sons life, but THIS will repay her. I'm not a complete fool, I know now how to repay her in a way that she will deem fit." He held up the box wrapped gaily in gold and purple, long silver ribbons trailing from the bow.

His poor advisor sighed, feeling all of his years in his body. His loyalty was to his master, but he highly doubted the ex-king had been in his right mind since Lune had grown out of his kitten hood. Perhaps he should inform King Lune of his father's insane notions.

"Your highness, perhaps you should consult with the King and Queen. Queen Yuki knows Miss Haru a lot more then we do-"

"Nonsense! And if you want to still have a job you'll not say a word. This is a gift! Meant in good faith! No one ever had to ask a person if they should do something NICE for a person! I refuse to start now!" he huffed in indignation.

His advisor shook his head, how was he to work around this? Perhaps warn the poor girl of the kings well meaning but utterly mad, intentions?

"And don't you DARE think of informing anyone else either. Including Haru, it's to be a surprise. And that's that. You are my servant and no one else's."

He bowed his head. "Of course your majesty." Sounding much the way he did when the king had suggested a retirement. Tired, worn, and unsure of where the decision would lead them.

**Author Notes:**

1: What the HECK is the name of the cat in the chinese outfit in the movie? He's not in the Manga.

2: What is the name of the outfit he was wearing? It's a chinese outfit the men wear and begins with a 'C'. I know

Count D wears them.

3: No my chapters are usually NEVER this abominably short. Honest. I couldn't help it. This was the prologue.

Honest, in the next chapter, theres more. Mwahahah.


	2. Gift Received

The Gift of Choice

Chapter 1

Gift Received

Haru shut the door to her small apartment and toed off her shoes. "I'm home," she said cheerily. She smiled as an orange tabby kitten came up to her, twined itself about her feet and insisted in it's own language that it was starving for attention and food. "I know, I know, I'm late, I'm sorry, really. But I had to buy groceries. She shifted the plastic bags on her arms which had been growing heavier by the second. Something about the last stretch always was the worst, she thought to herself. She carefully danced around her kitten and made her way to her small but tidy kitchen. Once they were on her small dining table she reached down and picked up the orange ball of fluff.

"Hello there, Kyo-chan." she still smiled at the name. Perhaps she should have been more original then naming the kitten after a Manga character, but Kyo honestly had the type of personality that she'd named him after. Very fiery, temperamental, and only adored one person well enough to behave for. It was a lucky thing she was that person.

Kyo purred loudly while she scratched under his chin then between his ears. In the midst of lavishing her cat with the attention he was demanding, her phone rang. She shifted the small cat to one arm and reached for the receiver, "Hello, Haru speaking. Oh hi mom. Yes, I'm fine. No I don't have plans... It's just my birth- - and I am very grateful you gave birth to me twenty - four years ago, but really I don't want to do anythi- - Honest! I've been so busy with work- Having tea with you would be fine mom. WHERE? That tea house is brand new we'll never get it!" she hesitated as her mother explained her plan, "You had reservations weeks ago? Well if you're sure you want to go there... I love you too. Thanks. Bai."

She hung up the phone and sighed. "No one can lay a guilt trip like a mother." She nuzzled Kyo's wet nose with her own dry one. "It seems this Sunday mom's taking me to the new tea house in celebration of my twenty - fourth birthday." Kyo just looked at her curiously, "I know my birthday's tomorrow, Kyo, but we're both so busy... Anyway, I'll come home early and we can eat fish and play tag with your new toy tomorrow. I even saved up enough money for a harness and leash so we can go outside on a walk." She put Kyo down with a smile.

Everything was perfect. She'd taken several college classes, had gotten a job, rented a small apartment, and was now on her own. She'd not been on her own long, just two years, and it wasn't easy, sometimes she barely scrimped by, but the new experiences made her stronger and while she was still clumsy, and sometimes a little shy and quiet, she had fought long and hard to build up her confidence and had in the eyes of others, become a self confident and assured young woman. She felt as if she could still learn more, but she was proud of herself for having come so far.

'And this would never have happened if it hadn't been for rescuing Prince Lune... without that, I never would have met the Baron...' she smiled peacefully, a warm feeling settling on her cheeks, as it often did when she thought of him.

Strange as it was to have feelings for a cat, it was stranger still that he wasn't even a cat. He was a figurine. A charming, witty, intelligent, cunning, chivalrous, figurine. That could still send her heart pounding when she dreamed of his eyes staring into hers...

'No, concentrate on something else,' she ordered herself. So she turned her focus onto the food she was making.

"--Eow!"

"Huh?" Haru jolted her head up at the sound of her cats mewing. What on earth was wrong with Kyo? Her eyes took a moment to adjust and she faintly saw the outline of Kyo at her door, pawing at it. She wasn't worried until he started hissing.

She listened and thought she heard a muffled... something, but perhaps it was her imagination. Although- - Kyo was acting oddly. OH NO! What if she'd forgotten to lock her front door and there was some pervert out there! The thought alone sent her heart racing, her tongue going dry in fear. Oh dear... a weapon! She needed a weapon and a phone- - No! Her only phone was in the kitchen!

She pulled back the covers and slowly eased herself off of her bed. Her body was shaking badly, fear and adrenaline mixing together. She went to her dresser and grabbed a figurine from off of it. The solid weight comforting her she eased to her door. Was there anyone out there? If only her heart weren't in her ears! Oh no... Please let it be nothing. Though Kyo's hissing had gotten louder, his tail was fluffed, and now he was growling. No, someone was out there! I should lock my door and pray they leave. I'm no hero. Decision made she reached out a trembling hand to her door knob and gently eased the lock to push in. Oh don't let them hear that! She prayed silently.

She backed away from the door and eased herself to the furthest corner in the room, and slowly sank to the carpet. As terrified as she was she felt herself begin to drift into a doze. And by the time Kyo had calmed down, she was in a fitful sleep, unaware that the danger had left.

Haru's first conscious thought was of the painful crick she was feeling in her neck. The next was that her poor rear was asleep and tingling in pain. Shifting her position so that the blood could flow better the feeling came back as pins and needles. What the? Hadn't she been in bed?

Kyo was curled beside her, asleep, a ray of sunshine making his orange fur glisten. Kyo? Floor? OH DEAR LORD. The burglar!

She jumped to her feet, dislodging the poor cat from his position and ran for her door, and opened it, the door clicked unlocked and she lurched into her living room, sure that she'd find it devoid of her precious items, and the more expensive ones.

Only to find that it wasn't. The tv, her small boom box, her used love couch, the old wood table and two chairs... the paintings... all there. She went about numbly checking her belongings, but no, they were all there. And somehow all the locks on the door were locked. The windows had been secured... Maybe it had been her imagination. But Kyo only reacted that way around strangers.

She put the statue on a cabinet as she walked into the kitchen, a survey of the cupboards and drawers and yes, even the refrigerator confirmed that nothing had been taken. And on her small little kitchen table was a package. Gold, purple, and silver. It was beautifully wrapped and on the little card it said, "Happy Birthday, Haru, May All You Dreams Come True."

"Maybe it was mom!" she gasped. "But why would mother sneak into my house in the middle of the night?" she asked Kyo, who had trailed after her. She sat down at her chair and pulled the present towards her. Kyo lept onto her lap and hissed, looking at the box. "Kyo-chan?" she tried to soothe him but he would have none of it. He lept onto her table grabbed the small box by the very ribbons that held it together and jumped down and dashed off before she could stop him. What on earth had possessed Kyo!

"Kyo!" She jolted out of her chair and chased him to where he was hiding under her bed. And he wasn't coming out. "Kyo..." she pleaded, half whining, "What is the matter with you!" She could see him, unhappily gnawing on the box as if trying to kill a mouse. "Well he'll never be able to get into it at least." she murmured. Kyo's ears went flat but he didn't stop. "I just don't get your weird mood swings Kyo. I really really don't." She sat up. Kyo was obviously not very happy. Maybe he'd be calmer later and by then will have forgotten her present. Then she could try and get it to open it.

"Alright, Kyo, you win. I'm going to eat breakfast." and with that she went into the kitchen to fix herself an egg and some tea. It wasn't any use, she'd drained her cup and was still exhausted. Sighing she went over to her phone and dialed the number to her job. "Taru - san? Listen, I really can't make it into work today... Last night was horrible... I heard someone trying to break in- -" the girl on the other end screeched in horror and began speaking so quickly Haru found it difficult to understand her, "N-no, everything is here and I'm fine, so he didn't manage to get in- - but I was up in my room all night... I didn't fall asleep until early in the morning. Yes I'll file a report. Yes... Yes, thank you Taru - san. Yes. Alright, good bye."

She sighed and hung up the phone and feeling very very worn out she went back to her room and shut the door behind her. A glance under the bed showed her that Kyo was still there, and still looking excessively unhappy.

She climbed into her cold bed and snuggled down into the covers and fell asleep, to exhausted to care that her present was presently being held hostage by her psychotic kitten.

Around noon she finally woke up, still bleary, but if she stayed in bed too long, she'd never get to bed early enough to be fresh for work tomorrow. Kyo was sprawled on top of the covers on her legs, asleep. Smiling she picked up her kitten and slowly shuffled to the living room. She turned on the T.V. and while listening to the news she opened Kyo's new toy and teased him with it, laughing whenever he over shot or caught the toy and tried to run off with it.

It wasn't until she'd finished her late lunch that she remembered her tattered gift under her bed. Smiling she went back to her room, Kyo was mauling his new toy before the T.V. hardly noticing his mistress' passing by. Once inside her room she flattened herself and after much wiggling and stretching, pulled the box out. Yes, it had taken quite a beating. She hoped her mother hadn't bought her something breakable. That would just be horrible if it had broken.

She stood up and opened her window, letting the light shine in. She placed it on her dresser top and tore open what was left of the wrappings. A white scratched up box was beneath. Smiling she opened the top of it and was rewarded with a loud 'POP' and powder exploded up into her face.

She coughed and wheezed, the stuff was strong and smelled oddly familiar. Ooo... She fanned at the air with her hand and finally cracked open an eyelid. Inside the box was nothing. It was empty.

She looked over to her small mirror. There was nothing to show for the explosion of powder, not even a speck of dust. Though her skin did feel kind of itchy. "Oh, I hope I wasn't allergic to that! But what was it-" Behind her she heard a meowing and saw Kyo, sitting on his hind legs, looking at her. And if she hadn't known any better, he looked very unhappy.

"Kyo?" she murmured. Funny, her eyes were beginning to itch and burn too. In fact, the whole of her body felt as if she were on fire. "I don't feel so-" she barely reached her bed before she fell into a very unnatural sleep.


	3. New Developments

The Gift of Choice

Chapter 2

New Developments

When Haru woke up, the clock on the her wall informed her she'd been out for quite some time. It was now four o' clock. She slowly rolled onto her stomach, then to her knees. What on Earth had hit her? She'd been opening her mother's gift- - which was a few feet away from her on the floor. From her position she could tell quite easily that there was nothing inside it but a note. WAIT - A - MINUTE. She could have sworn when she'd opened that box that there had been _nothing_ inside of it! She crawled over to it and opened the note finding herself even more confused.

_May this allow you to find your happiness._

Eh?

She flipped the piece of paper over but there was nothing on the back- Her eyes bugged out and her gaze shifted from the piece of paper to her hands. Instead of their normal peach color... they were covered with fur. Not very long, but rather short indeed. Not more then a centimeter in length, but it wasn't the length that was the problem. It was the amount. "I look like a shaved cat!" she squeaked. Something hissed beside her. It was Kyo. He was not looking happy at all. His ears were flattened back and he was staring at the box, which she had noticed had sustained a bit more damage since when she'd last seen it.

"How did this happen?" Gathering herself to her trembling legs she rushed to the bathroom and turned on the overhead light. The mirror before her gave her quite a start, and a searching hand told her, yes, it was on her face, neck, shoulders... even her chest. And her ears had taken on the most delicate of- - "NOT AGAIN!" she wailed. "Who could have done this!.? Who WOULD have done this?.!" she bemoaned running from her bathroom. She had to get out of there! She had to get help! She had to get human! She had work and a tea party with her mother- - not necessarily in that order or that soon, but still!

And she had thought herself done with the supernatural business that was of the cat world.

She went to her bedroom and grabbed clothing from her closet as well as a small bag. This might take some time to fix- just some clothes for one nights change. The Baron would be able to fix it!

The Baron. Even if she'd never forgotten him... And once or twice had some unusual dreams... she had pretty much resigned herself to the fact she'd never see him again. Was he still there? Was Muta still alive? Had Muta been alive when she met him? If a cat was in the cat kingdom, that means that it had died. No if's, ands, or buts. She'd remembered that heartbreaking moment when her little Yuki had looked at her- and it had clicked. Why Yuki had never come back home. So if Muta was dead, how did he still wander about the humans? Maybe he never was seen by them? She groaned and tugged on a pair of jeans. If she wanted to even TRY to squeeze into the Baron's house, she'd have less problems of exposing herself if she were wearing breeches instead of skirts. A tank top, a button overshirt, a jacket, and two more minutes of packing her bag, she found herself at the door of her apartment.

"Kyo I'll be back as soon as possible." she informed him slipping on her shoes. "I've left you a heap of food, don't over eat!" she warned him, "And a larger bowl of water. I promise to try and be back real soon!" she unlocked her door. Kyo just sat their looking mournfully at her. "I'm sure the Baron will be able to help me!" she assured him. She turned to the door and gave a start. Had the top lock always been at eye level? She felt her heart pound faster and a nervous hand fled to her ear. It was more pointed. "I have to go!" she cried and shut the door behind her, fumbling with locking it. She ran down the stairs, not even bothering with the elevator. She was only on the third floor after all.

It was a ten minute jog, and instead of being absolutely breathless, she was only slightly winded. Her stamina had improved. But the cafe table tobs were now at chest level. She'd shrunk. Just perfect! "MUTA!" she cried in absolute misery. But no, he was nowhere to be found. "OH PLEASE!" she wailed. She looked around hopelessly and felt tears well up in her eyes. This just wasn't her day! She slumped down into a chair and buried her head into her hands. Passerby stared at the unhappy child in confusion but only one old couple asked if she was lost, and where her parents were. Feeling even worse she had spouted a lie of great proportions off to them about an elaborate tale of a sleep over, a forgotten item, and that her parents were inside, before they took their leave.

"You know, you shouldn't lie."

Haru whipped around, that had been a boys voice.

"Excuse me?" she asked. She still wasn't sure who had spoken. The people around her weren't even looking at her.

"Down here, Haru - chan."

She gasped. "KYO! How did you get here?" The thought of her kitten wandering about brough a chill to her. "You could have died!" she reprimanded. "Wait- - you're talking."

"Of course I'm talking. Mot- Queen Yuki sent me to watch over you. But I've failed." he added miserably, his ears lowered and he bowed his head. "She really didn't believe you would need it, but she felt that you could use the companion. Just as you can feel Queen Yuki, she feels you, and she said that she believed the companionship would help stay it."

Haru blinked. "Oh." she finally said, a bit weakly. "I don't remember how to get to the Baron's. I need to find him if I want to be cured."

Kyo nodded. "Well, I can take you to him," he said a bit grudgingly.

Haru wondered at his grumpiness but decided perhaps it was just his personality. Oh dear lord. He been with her for three months. She'd changed in front of him, amongst a flurry of other embarrassing things (like breaking dishes, tripping over her own two feet or what meager furniture was in there), exploding a pot pie in the microwave had been won of the worst. She'd pulled it out, and for some reason it had exploded once it had escaped the microwave, there'd been an explosion of scalding bits. She'd escaped major harm, but things had still been a mess. She could even recall Kyo sitting there at the edge of the kitchen... and if she hadn't known better, she was pretty sure he'd been highly amused.

"Please." she encouraged. With a sigh he sprang off and she ran after him. She groaned. The table top had been at eye level. Kyo didn't take her the way Muta went. He took a much simpler direction, but it wasn't too long before she recognized the area where the Baron's little secluded housing was. Ducking out of the archway (though honestly it wasn't that hard now) she found the her head was just even with the rooftops. And the ravens perch was only slightly shorter then her, but it seemed the Toto wasn't there. She sighed and turned towards Baron's house. Kyo stalked up to it and going onto his hindfeet, and just as he was about to knock on the door it opened. Muta stepped out. "How did you know someone was coming?" Muta snapped grumpilly over his shoulder, glaring behind him and into the lit house. The sun had been down for quite a few minutes. Kyo was looking a bit non plussed at this turn of events.

"We wish to speak with Baron Von-"

"Yeah, yeah, so whats the prob- HARU!" Muta gaped and pushed past the now irate Kyo. "I thought humans grew! Not shrank!"

Haru felt her lips tug up into a smile, "I guess I'm a new breed." she said with a sigh.

"I do quite agree." Haru felt her heart speed up quite a bit and the houses seemed to grow- - no, wait, she had shurnk again. "You've changed quite a bit, though I must say you're still as lovely as ever, Miss Haru."

At the sight of him her breath caught in her chest, forcing herself past it she breathed his name out, her cheeks turning a gentle rosy color. "Baron." She couldn't help but smile as his figure came into view. Still as striking as ever, even without his top hat or over coat. "It's- - it's been a while."

"Indeed. And who is this young cat you've brought with you?" he asked turning to Kyo, who's fur was looking slightly puffed out.

"I'm her watcher!" he hissed in annoyance.

"Well you obviously weren't doing a very good job of it, were you?" Muta smuggly shot. Kyo hissed out and Haru felt indignant.

"At least he's kept me company and been a friend to me." she defended. "And he did do his best to protect me, I just didn't understand."

Kyo blushed at her words but his ears were no longer flat. He walked over to her, standing between Haru and the other two cats defensively. For some reason Baron seemed quite a bit amused by this. "Well Haru, why don't you come inside and have some tea? I dare say you will fit inside much more easily. You can leave your bag outside the house." he suggested, gesturing to his door. Haru smiled and set it down outside the house. She paused. The bag had shrunk with her. Strange. Shrugging she crawled inside first (though she felt awkward because they were waiting until she was in) and they came in after. Baron went about to pouring her a cup of tea and Kyo stood by her, (she was once again sitting on the chest she'd first sat on when she'd met him). Being smaller did indeed help quite a bit. Muta plopped down onto the couch and grabbed a tea cup that was full of milk.

"Too bad you missed the feather head, he left about five minutes ago to get some berries or worms... who knows." he shrugged and Haru smiled a bit sadly.

"Now Haru," the Baron handed her a cup and Kyo bristled, Baron smiled and corrected himself for her protector, "_Miss_ Haru." Kyo bristled even more but no longer looked as if he were about verbally snap at him, "How did you come to find yourself in this position?"

Haru took a sip of her tea, it was delicious, but of course, not the same flavor as it had been the first time she'd had some. Sighing she told her story, by the end of it, the cup was bigger in her hand, and the ceiling much higher. Her fur strangely enough was now no longer then two centimeters, was the palest brown she'd ever seen, and she could feel something hurting her rear. "Um, would you excuse me?" she asked awkwardly. She opened the doors and scooted herself, rear first, out. Then dove for her bag. Which was still the same size it had been when she'd left it. "GREAT." she fought it open and grabbed her skirt. Which she pulled up and over her hips. Great. It was a few inches too big around the waist. Oh well. Kyo and Baron had come to the door way and watched as she pulled the drawstring shut on the skirt. She then hiked it up and began undoing her pants. Both cats turned around, heard the rustle of clothing and a screach of horror. "_I have a tail_ !" She kicked the pants from around her ankles and sank to her knees. "It won't stop! I'm not even thinking cat thoughts!" she put her head into her hands and felt tears build up. Why was this happening?

She sat huddled on the ground for not even more then a minute, Baron and Kyo looked at her sadly then at each other and watched as the last of her humanity shrunk and faded away. Where a very lovely human had been, was a very lovely cat. Though not exactly a cat persay. Her hair was still long, her fingers still there, her figure there. And when she dropped her hands to her lap they could see the changed even more. She had fur, whiskers, pointed ears, and while her face was a bit more cat like, her nose and her lips were combined, and blended in feline and human mixtures. Kyo could tell quite easily that if someone were to have to choose between himself or the Baron who she had the most similarity to, they would point at the Baron. For she wasn't a cat. But a mix.

Arms came around her and she realized with dismay that they were perfect for holding someone her size. But she knew the arms, and her newly renewed senses had come back, she knew it was Baron holding her, even when she'd lost her cat smell, she'd still remembered his scent. Turning in his arms she hugged him tightly. "What am I going to do, Baron?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure yet, Haru, but we'll work this out." He assured.

Haru nodded and pulled back from him. She could see Kyo looking at her and Baron, but she couldn't understand the expression on his face.

"Well, she's napping now." Baron came out of his room with a quiet sigh and shut the door behind him. Kyo who was sitting on his couch sipping tea frowned.

"She can't undo this, can she?" he asked quietly. Baron's bright green eyes went to him and Kyo felt his fur stand on end.

"I don't know." Baron said hesitantly, "The only way we will ever know is if we confront the ones who might have done this. She told me what happened, and both of us are of the mind that that present was responsible. She said you tried to stop her from opening it, so can I assume you believe it was the present as well?"

Kyo nodded, "I could smell grandfather on it. Grandpa's never been really stable, and mother told me of what he did to Haru... So I figured it was him trying something again... I didn't know what though. And at the time I was still trying to pretend to be a normal cat... So I couldn't exactly just shout at her to not touch it- -" he broke off and once again his temper rose, "But it's none of your business about that so I'll go back to the cat kingdom and tell mother and father about what has happened, though with her bond between Haru - San, she probably already knows. We can give grandpa the interrogation. Haru stays here though, seeing as we don't know what his plans are." His paw curled and his tail fluffed out, his ears also looking a bit flattened. So I expect you to watch over her." he stormed over to the door and Kyo didn't have to see Baron's smile, he could practically feel it when Baron spoke.

"You must care about her very much, Kyo - sama."

Kyo huffed, wrenched the door open, and slammed it behind him.

**Author Notes**: You know, I didn't originally plan to make Kyo a cat from the cat kingdom... but with a name like Kyo, I just couldn't resist making him a speaking character... and you know the superstition that cats take on the personality of their names...


End file.
